Political Quotes

“I am bringing to the attention of the Senate my opposition to an amendment that has been offered on this bill. Earlier today, the Senator from Wisconsin, Mr. Feingold, offered amendment No. 140 to create a so-called ``earmark point of order'' that would lie against appropriations provisions before the Senate. This amendment, if it should be adopted, serves no desirable purpose. In my opinion, on the contrary, it would only serve to weaken the Congress as an institution, and in relationship in particular to the administration, and would yield more authority to the unelected bureaucracy of the Federal Government to make decisions that all of our constituents in all of our States sent us here to make. It is, in effect, a restriction of the power of Congress and the direct representatives of the people and the States. Individual appropriations bills should be brought to the floor subject to amendment by any Senator, whether a member of the Appropriations Committee or not, without any restrictions.”